Packaging insert for product separation and protection

ABSTRACT

Manufacturers of extruded profiles have two major problems with the present packaging material, i.e. a too low stability and the fact that the profiles are not separated in the package. Extruded profiles are often manufactured in short series, which puts high demands on short turnaround times, also when packaging the profiles. Another demand is that the products should be packed so as to take up the smallest volume possible. The present invention solves this problem by folding a sheet to form partition walls (B) on which a second insert is resting, so that each profile is completely separated from the others and each layer is only carrying its own weight. The sheet may be folded so that the compartments assume different height and width, both within a layer and between different layers. The stability is obtained by attaching, preferably by gluing, the partition walls, or, alternatively, the folded sheet, on a base plate (A) which may consist of the same material as the partition walls. The packaging insert is manufactured using an apparatus in which the dimensions of the insert are continuously adjustable, so that products with different dimensions may be packed in the same package.

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging insert for packaging of elongated objects, such as extruded profiles, as well as a process for producing said packaging insert. The invention also relates to an apparatus for producing the packaging insert. The packaging insert has a high stability and is adjusted to the size of the objects.

[0002] Manufacturers of extruded profiles have two major problems with the present packaging materials, e g a too low stability and the fact that the profiles are not separated in the package. This leads to deformation and damage to the surfaces of the profiles.

[0003] Extruded profiles are often manufactured in short series, which puts high demands on short turnaround times, also when packaging the profiles. Another demand is that the products should be packed so as to take up the smallest volume possible.

[0004] In FR-1521839 a packaging inlay for bottles is manufactured by folding a cardboard blank to receive compartments of conical shape. The height of compartments in one layer and the volume of individual compartments are constant.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,894 describes a shipping container made from corrugated paper board for the packaging fruit. The compartments may have different heights in different layers. This construction has only got the required stability due to one or several vertical dividers positioned across the folded partition panels.

[0006] None of the above document provides a rigid construction with parallel partition walls and individually relieved layers of packaging goods. It is also not disclosed how variable sizes of the compartments are to be achieved.

[0007] The present invention solves the above problem by the use of an insert where the compartments assume different heights and widths, both within a single layer and between the different layers. To achieve this a blank is folded to form a partition wall.

[0008] The wall is attached to a base plate, which is fed from a manufacturing unit for producing the said insert. When the packaging inlay is provided with the desired number of partition walls/have the desired length the base plate is cut and the insert is put in a fixture. When the insert has been charged with material in all compartments a second insert is placed on top of the previous one. The procedure is repeated until the preferred number of layers is obtained. Consequently, each profile is completely separated from the others and each layer in the insert carries its own weight.

[0009] The material used in the partition wall and in the base plate may be organic, e g polymeric, a laminate, or may be based on natural fibers, e g paper, cartoon, solid paper, board, or a similar material. The rigidity is achieved be attaching the partition walls onto a base plate that may consist of the same material as the partition walls or of another material. The partition walls may be attached by gluing, clenching, snapping or by any other method.

[0010] The invention is also concerned with an apparatus for manufacturing the said packaging insert, comprising a feed unit for the base plate (1) and a feed unit for the partition walls (2). The direction of transportation of the base plate material is parallel with the direction of transportation for the partition walls. The width of the feed unit should be continuously adjustable, whereby partition walls of different heights may be obtained.

[0011] When sufficient length of the material for a partition wall has been fed, and the material hits the prefixed holding-up tool, the material is cut in a cutting tool. Glue is applied to the back of the blank, which is then folded in half and flaps of the blank is folded in opposite directions, where after the flaps are glued onto the base plate.

[0012] Also the feed unit for the base plate is continuously adjustable, which provides for an insert with different distances between the partition walls.

[0013] When the packaging insert has the intended length the material is cut with a cutting tool between two partition walls.

[0014] The claimed apparatus is adapted to the manufacturing of packaging inserts having glued-on individual separators, but may also be used for sheets that has been folded to form a higher number of separators and that are later glued onto the base plate. The speed for feeding the material for the partition walls may be regulated to vary the height of the partition wall and cutting of the material takes place only when the folded sheet has assumed the desired length, corresponding to the full length of the base plate.

[0015]FIG. 1 shows an embodiment where a comb construction has been manufactured by attaching separate partition walls (B) onto a base plate (A).

[0016] In FIG. 2 several layers of the comb construction in FIG. 1 are used.

[0017]FIG. 3 shows an apparatus for the manufacturing of the packaging insert.

[0018] Preferably the material of the inlay is made from cardboard with a basis weight of 200-600 g/m². The width of the finished comb construction in the direction of the partition wall is between 50 and 500 mm. Several inlays may be put in an outer wrapping or a fixture, so that the weight may be partially released along the objects packed.

EXAMPLE 1

[0019] Strips of melt glue is applied in lines with a mutual distance of 50,5 mm on a base plate of solid cardboard with a width of 200 mm and the length 800 mm. Separate partition walls are manufactured by folding a paper sheet having a width of 71 mm and a length of 200 mm along the centre line. The partition walls are then glued along the fold except for the last 5 mm. The non-glued parts of the sheet is folded outwardly to form a 90 degree angle against the glued parts, so that a part of the sheet forms a T-flange. The folded flanges are pressed against the applied glue and fixed in a position so as to form a packaging insert with compartments with a width of 50.5 mm and a height of 30.5 mm are formed. Two of these inserts are then placed in a wrapping with a distance between the inlays in the direction of the packed objects, so that weight may be partially released along the objects packed.

[0020] Aluminium profiles with the dimension 50×30×200 mm is put in the compartments. Another packaging insert is put on top of the first one so that the upper layer is resting on the partition walls of the lower layer. Several layers of the packaging insert is put on top of the previous one until the desired number of layers is reached, whereby the outer wrapping is sealed. The height and width of the packaging inserts may be varied in between and within the layers and the number of layers may be chosen freely. 

1. Packaging insert comprising at least one comb-construction, wherein said comb construction comprises a base plate (A) with thereon attached longitudinal, parallel partition walls (B), characterized in that the partition walls consists of a dubble folded sheet which is shaped so that a part of the sheet is forming a T-flange which is attached to the base plate so that the partition wall is forming a 90 degree, or approximately 90 degree, angle to the base plate.
 2. Packaging insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition walls are attached by gluing.
 3. Packaging insert comprising several comb constructions, according to any of claims 1 or 2, in successive layers.
 4. Packaging insert according to claim 3, characterized in that the height of the partition walls in the individual layers is not the same.
 5. Packaging insert according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the distance between the partition walls in the individual layers is not the same.
 6. Packaging insert according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the distances between the partition walls within one individual layer are not the same.
 7. Packaging insert according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that it is manufactured by a natural fibre material.
 8. Packaging insert according to claims 7, characterized in that the natural fiber material is carton, paper, solid board or paperboard.
 9. Packaging insert according to any of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the the material has a basis weight of 200-600 g/M².
 10. Packaging insert according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that it is made of plastics or is a laminate.
 11. Packaging insert according to any of claims 1-10, characterized in that the base plate has a width of 50-500 mm.
 12. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims 1-11, characterized in that longitudinal, parallel partition walls (B) are attached on at least one side of the base plate (A).
 13. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to claim 12, characterized in that the partition walls are formed by dubble folding a sheet so that a part of the sheet is forming a T-flange.
 14. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the partition walls are attached to the base plate by gluing.
 15. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims 12-14, characterized in that, after packaging of objects in the formed compartments, at least one more comb construction is placed on top of the first one.
 16. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims 12-15, characterized in that several layers of comb constructions are placed on top of each other so that longitudinal compartments are formed and that the partition walls of the compartments are higher than the objects to be packed.
 17. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims 12-16, characterized in that the comb construction is put in a fixture.
 18. Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims 12-17, characterized in that the comb construction is put in a wrapping.
 19. Use of a packaging insert according to any of claims 1-12 for the packaging of longitudinal objects.
 20. Use of a packaging insert according to claim 19, in which the longitudinal objects are extruded aluminium profiles.
 21. Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts comprising a feed unit (1) for the material for a base plate and a feed unit (2) for the material for the partition walls, characterized in that the feed direction of the base plate runs in parallel to the feed direction for the partition walls.
 22. Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim 21, characterized in that a cutting tool for the cutting of a sheets aimed to become partition walls is located at the end of feeder band
 2. 23. Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim 21-22, characterized in that the width of the feed unit for the partition wall material is continuously adjustable.
 24. Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim 21-23, characterized in that the longitudinal feed adjustment of the feed unit for the base plate is continuously adjustable.
 25. Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim 21-24, characterized in that a cutting tool for the base plate is located above feeder band
 1. 